Christian Chefs Fellowship - Past Newsletters

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MENU du JOUR:
      Appetizer
      Main Course
           Christianity in the Kitchen - "K.I.S.S."
           Culinary Learning - "Sponge Cakes"
           CCF Trivia
           Recipe - Hazelnut Chocolate Sponge
           Recent Job Listings - 12 New
           Seeking Employment - 1 New
      Dessert
           Hints and Tips
           Featured Website - Focus on the Family
           Chef to Chef
           A Little Something Extra
           A Merry Heart
      Toothpick

Oops... This was supposed to be the April 2005 newsletter. Many of you are probably wondering what happened with CCF. We are still here! God just added another big aspect of this interesting adventure of mine and my wife Susanna's called "LIFE". About two months ago, we opened our very own restaurant/B&B. It's a beautiful, historic inn in a gorgeous country setting. Anyway, we're just barely starting to come up for breath (even though I'm still often working 6am-midnight), because life has been very hectic lately as many of you probably can relate to from similar experiences. You can find out more about this adventure at our website:
http://www.pinehurstinn.us/
And in my posts in the forums:
http://www.christianchefs.org/forums.html

I had fallen behind with the job listings and everything else with CCF lately, but am just about caught back up. I'll probably publish the newsletter every other month instead of every month for the time being (and would greatly appreciate any help with culinary learning articles especially), but will be keeping up with e-mails, job listings, and the rest to the best of my ability.

Finally, there are a number of jobs listed below that have been posted since the last newsletter. I've been checking on them and believe almost all of them are current, but there may be a couple of them that are no longer vacant.

God Bless, and stop in sometime for dinner and/or a night's stay if ever you're in Southern Oregon.

About 9 months ago, I was sitting in a college ministry meeting and the college pastor said, “Keep it simple, stupid.” I thought about that statement and the fact that in the past I had made things much harder when they were supposed to be simple because that is how I was trained. In the food service industry, we do a lot of things from scratch, simply because we have been taught (and rightly so) that scratch is better. But how much is better? If it takes a prep cook 2 hours to peel and slice potatoes, when the ready product is only 4 dollars a case more – well, you do the math. It is cheaper and simpler to buy a ready product.

Look around your kitchen. Do you see things that can be simplified simply by reorganizing? How about your life and walk with God? Do we sometimes make things harder than they are simply because we think it is better? The best example can be found in Scripture, in the form of the Sabbath day. The Sabbath was meant to be a day of rest so that we could focus on God and take care of ourselves. By the time of Jesus there were over 630 different rules to define the Sabbath. The leaders of the day had turned the Sabbath into a burden that not many could bear.

Do we do that in our own lives? Do we do that with our staff, co-workers or even family? Like sheep, we need a shepherd. Sheep are stupid creatures, so “Keep it simple, stupid,” so that you may enjoy the fruit of your labor and the joy of knowing that you thought about it before you did it.

If God is speaking to your heart about these things, and you need somebody to talk with, please don't hesitate to e-mail us about your need and somebody from the Fellowship will contact you as soon as possible. If you have a prayer request or would like to start a theological discussion on this or any other topic, please feel free to post it in our Message Boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Every kitchen should have a sponge cake in the freezer for "dessert emergencies" since it freezes exceptionally well, even for weeks if wrapped properly, and can be used as the foundation of a quick and tasty dessert.

In making a sponge cake, the weight of the eggs is the basis for determining the quantity of the remaining ingredients. In the most common type of sponge cakes, the sugar and flour weights are 3 ounces (85 g) per 8 ounces (225 g) of eggs. If the recipe calls for butter, the amount is about half of the weight of the sugar and flour (1.5 ounces/ 42.5 g) and is added at the end.

The amount of sugar is vital to the end result. If too little sugar is used, the cake will become tough, as the batter will have too much flour in proportion to the other ingredients. The texture will become dense and the crust will become too dark. If the amount of egg yolks is increased in the cake, especially if an equal ratio of sugar, flour and eggs is used to create a heavy sponge, the yolks will reduce the amount of water content causing difficulties for the sugar to dissolve.

Bread flour has gluten to help bind and hold the cake's structure. Too much gluten, on the other hand, will make the batter rubbery and the result will be a tough and chewy sponge. If cake flour is used, the structure will collapse partially when baked even though the sponge will be lighter and tender. It is best to blend the two into a combination which will create the perfect sponge.

The volume and the light texture of a sponge cake comes from the air whipped into the eggs. When adding other ingredients, be careful not to break the air bubbles since they are the only leaven the cake relies on. Never stir the flour into the batter or use mixers; instead, fold the flour, eventual nuts and sweeteners (such as chocolate and butter) very carefully with a rubber spatula or your hand.

Butter will give flavor to the cake, extend the cake’s shelf life and give the cake finer pore structure. The butter should be melted but not hot and added last into the batter. If the butter is added before the flour, the butter will create small lumps of flour which will be impossible to break without losing the volume created when the eggs were whipped.

If nuts or candied fruits are added to the sponge cake, the cake has to be one of the heavier ones since the pieces will settle on the bottom in a lighter version. The same will happen if the flour and butter were whipped into the batter. The result will be a cake that looks great when taken out from the oven, but that has two separate layers: a top layer looking like a regular sponge and a rubbery bottom part holding all the butter and nuts. The almonds or hazelnuts should be of such fine consistency that they can be sifted with the flour. This will ensure that they don't sink as easily. Because nuts absorb moisture, the content of flour must be reduced accordingly.

Questions about this article or any other culinary-related subject can be asked via the "Culinary Q&A" Section of the Message Boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Ingredients:
Butter and flour mixture
14 eggs
12 ounces (340 g) granulated or castor sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
8 ounces (225 g) bread flour
6 ounces (170 g) hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground
3 ounces (85g) sweet dark chocolate, grated
4 ounces melted unsalted butter

Procedure:
1. Brush butter and flour mixture inside two 10-inch cake pans. Reserve.

2. Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixer bowl. Heat over simmering water until the mixture reaches about 110 F (43 C), whipping continuously. Remove from the heat and whip at high speed until the mixture has cooled and has a light and fluffy consistency (the batter has to be stiff enough for a drop to remain on top of the batter if dropped from a spoon and reluctantly settle).

3. Sift the flour. Mix the hazelnuts and chocolate, then carefully fold into the batter by hand. Fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.

4. Bake immediately at 400 F (205 C) until the cake springs back when pressed lightly on top, approximately 15 minutes. Allow the sponges to cool completely before removing them from the pans.

Note: Add about one-quarter of the sugar to the nuts if you are using a food processor to grind them. The sugar will absorb the oil released by the nuts due to heat produced by the friction.

We prefer to list recipes from Christian Chefs rather than from other sources, so if you have any good recipes of your own, please post them in the "Recipes" section of the Message Boards. Please include an introduction to the recipe with your personal comments of the stories that make them special, and if your recipe is chosen, it will be listed in our website forever and in our next newsletter.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

What Scandinavian berry's name is closest to heaven when translated into English?

E-mail your answer to "trivia@ChristianChefs.org" with "Trivia Answer" in the subject column. Also, please tell us what brief title(s) ("Sous Chef," "Dallas, Texas," or whatever - see examples below) you would prefer for your name being listed in the next newsletter, as well as how difficult you found the question (so we can improve future trivia questions).

Additional information found/submitted on the subject:
Enoch: Genesis 5:23-24 "So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

Elijah: II Kings 2:11-12 "Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."

We made a mistake - we were thinking of Moses, but although Moses' body was not found, Moses did die. We meant to word the question "Which three men's bodies were not buried by man?"

Moses: Deut 34:5-6 "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day."

Also, as Cindo answered, in Hebrews 7:3, Melchizedek is told not to have a beginning or end, therefore it's debatable if he was human at all.

The first people to answer this question correctly:
1. Burgundy L. Olivier - www.ilovespinach.com
2. Ron Rought
3. Cindo of Allentown
4. Tyrone Barton - Chief Cook/Executive Chef - www.tyronebcookin.com

More information on each of the below Job Listings, such as the job's timeline, responsibilities, pay, and how to contact the employer on each of these, can be found within the Employment area of our website (link below). There you can also find jobs that have been posted in previous months that haven't yet been filled and you can also post any job openings you have to be listed there and in this newsletter for FREE!
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/employment.html

Name = Pueblo Por La Playa
Location = Pagbilao, Qezon (Philippines)
Position = Chef de Partie & Head Chef

Name = Maranatha Bible Camp
Location = Along I-80 near North Platte, Nebraska (USA)
Position = Food Service Director

Name = Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds
Location = Occidental, California (USA)
Position = Food Service Manager

Name = The Whitestone Inn
Location = Kingston, Tennessee (USA)
Position = Sous Chef

Name = Jenness Park Christian Camp
Location = Cold Springs, California (USA)
Positions = Cook, Baker, Prep Cook & FT Dishwasher, Prep Cook

Name = North Bay
Location = North East, Maryland (USA)
Position = Chef

Name = Lake Beauty Bible Camp & Retreat Center
Location = Long Prairie, Minnesota (USA)
Position = Food Service Director

Name = Camp Berea
Location = Hebron, New Hampshire (USA)
Position = Head Cook/Food Service Manager

Name = Traber Center
Location = Spring City, Pennsylvania (USA)
Position = chef/cook/host

Name = Azor
Location = Houston, Texas (USA)
Position = Executive Chef

Name = Abundant Life Academy - Boarding School
Location = Kanab, Utah (USA)
Positions = Kitchen Manager / Head Cook & Assistant Cook

Name = Meadowlark Lake Resort
Location = Ten Sleep, Wyoming (USA)
Positions = 2 Cooks & 1 Chef

If you are looking for kitchen staff and want to view more information about anyone listed below, each of the following listings is posted in the "Resumes" category of the Message Boards. If you are looking for employment, it's a free service to post your resume. Just make sure you include your name, location desired, and position desired in your post.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Name = Anthony Brookhart
Location Desired = Open
Position Desired = Looking to learn from experienced chef

When sponge cakes or sheets are refrigerated, the skin on top of the cakes becomes soft. It must be removed before the layers are used.

If you know of any great hints or tips, please post them in the "Hints and Tips" area of the Message Boards. Of the ones posted there, one will be featured here in our newsletter.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Focus on the Family is an organization God uses greatly to disseminate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many as possible by helping to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family. Through their website you can find a great deal of helpful information to minister to men, women, parents, and children through news, devotions, and other helpful resources.

"What does an overnight soak do to different kinds of rice? I know that an overnight soak to Basmati rice is said to yield a tender grain for pilafs. Any other experiments or suggestions..."
tyronebcookin-

If you're searching for particular instructions or cooking techniques or maybe have a special need, you can post these on our message boards. If you've done that and are still in need, please e-mail us and let us know so that we may highlight that need in this section of our next newsletter.

We are anxious to win our friends to our political beliefs or new diet fads, but our religion we keep strictly to ourselves.
The Upper Room

I used to work as a Garde Manger for Radisson Hotels in London and we used to make up the buffet with 3 or 4 fat carvings for lunch and dinner. We used lard coated with Chaud froid so we could decorate them and use them for 3 days before having to make new ones. Anyways I was on the buffet filling up the salads and one of the customers came up and took a large piece of one and put it on his plate. I didn't know what to do so I just kind of hung my head and waited for the fireworks. A couple of minutes later he came back up and I thought he was going to complain, but instead he took another piece. What can you say?

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Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. -1 Cor 10:31 ESV

Christian Chefs International

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Phone: 503.794.4083
Mailing Address: PO Box 1484, Cannon Beach, Oregon 97110-1484
Street Address: 289 N Spruce St., Cannon Beach, Oregon

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Christian Chefs Newsletter
July 2005

><> ><> ><> ><> CHRISTIANITY IN THE KITCHEN <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> CULINARY LEARNING <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> RECIPE <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> TRIVIA <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> RECENT JOB LISTINGS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> SEEKING EMPLOYMENT <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> HINTS AND TIPS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> FEATURED WEBSITE <>< <>< <>< <><
Focus on the Family

><> ><> ><> ><> CHEF TO CHEF <>< <>< <>< <><
"Rice"

><> ><> ><> ><> A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> A MERRY HEART <>< <>< <>< <><

Christian Chefs Newsletter July 2005